On Friday 5 August 2022, it was announced that the Government has decided to abolish the Police Registration Scheme with immediate effect. This is welcome news as the scheme is cumbersome and outdated. The registration process has also suffered significant delays in recent years.
Nationals of countries listed in Appendix 2 of the Immigration Rules, who meet the requirements of Part 10 of the Rules, have long been to register with the police. They have also had to update that registration if certain personal details change (address, length of permission to stay, etc.).
Exactly what has been announced?
Friday’s announcement, sent to numerous stakeholders including this firm, stated:
‘The Government has decided to abolish the Police Registration Scheme. The scheme, which requires some migrants to register with the police, is suspended with immediate effect. We are abolishing the requirement to register with the police as the police registration scheme in its current form is outdated and no longer provides any public protection benefit to either the Home Office or the police. The data a migrant provides to the police on registration is already captured by the Home Office at the visa application stage, and is available to the police on request via Immigration Enforcement, so there is no need for it to be provided twice.
Changes to the wider immigration system since the scheme was introduced now mean that more people are screened before travel to the UK so those of concern can be identified earlier in their interaction with the Home Office. Migrants who have been issued with a visa with the requirement to register on it do not need to go to a police station to register. If a migrant has previously registered with the police, they do not need to do anything. We would be grateful for your help in raising awareness of the suspension of the scheme by utilising your communication channels to ensure your stakeholders, members and clients are aware. Further information about the changes will be available on GOV.uk in due course. If you have any questions about these changes, please email: CriminalityPolicyGuidanceQueries@homeoffice.gov.uk.’
Practical implications
Those who are subject to a condition to register with the police do not need to take any action at all in relation to that.
People arriving in the UK no longer need to register initially, even if they have obtained a visa recently and were told to do so. Those in the UK who already have registered do not need to notify the police of any changes.
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